Small bubbles forming all over the tank

[jon_denmark]

For about three weeks i have been strugling with bubbles in the tank. There are usually more bubbles when the light has been on for some hours due to fotosynthesis. In the beginning i had a problem with dinoflagellates which covered most of the surface of my LR. I succeeded in starving them out by letting the light off for five days. After this period, when i started illuminating the tank, the dino's were gone and the few soft corals i have, again became healthy to look at. The water should by very poor in nutriunts since i've got very effective protein skimming and few fish. I use only RO for top of water, and i can't measure any NO3 or PO4 (i have tried several test kits). My idea is that the water maybe is over saturated with oxygen, but some people i know, said that it could be Ca which forms the bubbles! But as far as i know, Ca would form a stable form (and not as a gas), when "not dissolved in water anymore".
I measure following relevant parameters:
Ca=540 mg/l.
Kh=8.
Ph=7,9 - 8,0
Temp=25-26 degree celcius
Please feedback if you have any ideas or have had the same problems. I would very much like to know what these bubbles arise from and how to eliminate their source. (I hope you understand my poor english )

 

[WRASSER]

jon_denmark,


valonia, the bubbles are filled with spores of algae. your skimmer will help alittle. if you pop them the spores will go every where. hermit crab will help control the bubbles. if they pop a U/V light will help kill them tooo
maybe you are leaving your lights on to long tooo.


good luck


wrasser 8)

 

[Anonymous]

Are these the bubbles your seeing? This is a fine crop of valonia.

Not that it's desirable. 8)

 

[WRASSER]

bucolic buffalo,



yep, those be the one. it really looks like you are over feeding your tank. the bubbles i use to get were on my LR. and yes i said i use to get them, then i installed an U/V light and they went away.


good luck,


wrasser 8)

 

[jon_denmark]

Thanks for your help, but unfortunatelly i have made an improper description. By "bubbles" i mean bubbles like those generated by a skimmer, and not the algae which looks like bubbles (Valonia!):wink:

 

[Anonymous]

As those caused by cavitation of a boat propeller, or a venturi, yes? If this is the case, can you locate a specific source of the bubbles (return pumps, powerheads, and the like)? I see that you have two wavemakers set up, is there a chance the bubbles are emitting from them? I've been corresponding with a man who has a 10" deep gravel (crushed coral) bed, which has been quite proficient in its denitrification. He has an odd undergravel filter set up underneath (it's pipes instead of the typical plates), to which he has powerheads attached for movement. The gravel bed has become so proficient in its production of inert nitrogen gas that it is being pulled up by the powerheads, which then break the large bubbles up into "superfine" bubbles, giving the tank an almost milky look. Consider something similar as a source.

Your English is very good.

 

[WRASSER]

OOPS




WRASSER

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I grow valonia real well. Try not to overfeed. U/V light. I will look into it.


Bubbles. Yeah, everybody thinks something different when mentioned. New pumps or skimmers will put a lot of bubbles into a system for a while, but they get broke in and that stops being a problem.

Or like Seamaiden mentioned, an odd problem develops. That had to be tough to figure out.

 

[Expos Forever]

Welcome Jon

I used to live in Stockholm and visited Denmark a couple times. It's a great country!

Are the bubbles forming or are they possibly coming from your return? How is your in-tank circulation?

 

[zosterae311]

Those nasty litle bubbles can be coming from a number of sources, but they are most likely being produced by your skimmer or a tiny airleak in your tank plumbing, or a powerhead/pump in your system. Does your skimmer output pour into a bubble trap? Depending on the skimmer you use, there are ways to cut down on the bubbles that escape...I would try that first. Also, high additives/organics can cause microbubbles much the same way, so that is also an area to look into. As far as over-saturation of 02 goes, I highly doubt that is the problem. I have a ton of macro in my refugium and a skimmer running, and I've never experienced a harmful gas buildup. I bet it's all in the pumps/plumbing.....so I would check all of that first.